SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 7: K. Prabhakar Rao, Secretary of the Jharkhand Badminton Association (JBA), will lead the Indian Para-Badminton team at the BWF Para Badminton World Championships scheduled to be held in Manama, Bahrain from February 7 to 14.
The Indian squad will be coached by national head coach Gourav Khanna.
Veteran Administrator with National Responsibilities
Apart from heading JBA, Rao also serves as Joint Secretary of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) and Chairman of Para-Badminton India. He was the first sports administrator from eastern India to head Para-Badminton India and has been serving BAI in a key administrative role for nearly a decade.
BAI officials expressed confidence that Indian para shuttlers would continue to perform strongly at the international level under his leadership.
Paralympic Success Earned Him Leadership Again
According to a BAI official, India’s record medal haul at the Tokyo Paralympics under Rao’s leadership played a major role in him being entrusted again with the responsibility of guiding the squad for the world championships in Bahrain.
Rao, who hails from Jamshedpur, has been associated with Indian badminton administration for many years and has contributed significantly to the growth of para-badminton in the country.
Medal Expectations High
Before departing for Bahrain, Rao expressed confidence in the team’s preparation and performance.
“We are expecting to win 11-12 medals, including around three gold medals,” he said.